Outside with the Aunts

Josiah did lots of playing outside with Aunt Hannah and Aunt Rachel while they were here, despite the heat (the highs are around 105-112 these days). Thankfully we have some nice shade in the front yard in the late afternoon. Josiah doesn't seem to notice the heat too much, though--he just loves being outside and free!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Hannah, for the beautiful photography!

 

Family Picture

To the few readers of this blog: I'm sorry for the dearth of posts these last few weeks! We've been busy with family visiting (my mom and sisters, and then Jeremy's sister and her husband) lately. I hope to post some pictures from June soon, but meanwhile, here's a rare picture--one of all three of us together! My sister Hannah took this at a wedding we went to in Prescott, AZ. It doesn't look like Arizona, does it?

Ducks!

Last week our neighbor got irrigation, and a pair of ducks turned up in her yard! We took Josiah over to look at the duckies, and he was enthralled. Jeremy brought some old bread to throw to them. Josiah wanted to join in the snack-time, though, and popped a few pieces into his mouth (including one he had already thrown into the water for the ducks). These ducks let Josiah get quite close to them (closer than we adults could get). He loved feeding them, chasing them, seeing them paddle, and joining them in the water himself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our One-Year-Old around the House

He's getting so big!
 

Josiah has some crazy hair days! He also loves to climb into his stroller.

He'll take us over to his stroller and make pleading noises when he wants to go for a walk. 
 

Fun activity on a hot day--watch the goings-on of the neighborhood clad in just a diaper! Plus, standing on chairs is just more fun.
 

Helper or hinderer? Usually the latter, with the dishwasher. He loves to pull the entire rack out. He also likes the sprayer mechanism that spins inside.
 

Josiah is getting adept at climbing, standing . . . 

. . . and reaching from the couch.

He loves to dance to music!
 

Fun in the sink!
 

Josiah and Paxton shared a tray of frozen corn one night. They vied for the kernels. Josiah would live on frozen corn if he could. Unfortunately, his little stomach doesn't really digest it . . . the kernels come out intact.
 

Blanket boy! Josiah absolutely loves this game nowadays--we throw a blanket over his head and he walks around bumping into everything. When the blanket falls off, he wants to repeat the fun. Apparently he doesn't mind the bumps and bruises. It's hilarious watching him wander around under the blanket. (Thanks, Aunt Patti, for the great fun your beautiful blanket has provided!)
 

 

 

Buddy Boy

 

Oh, the Day Is Nice and the Day Is Fine, and I Do Like the Good Sunshine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Day at the Ranch

This past weekend we took a trip to Peeples Valley, AZ, on the invitation of friends to their ranch. We hauled Josiah out of bed around 6 a.m. and got off only 10 minutes late! While Phoenix is pretty hot right now (90s during the day), we had a beautiful day in the 70s up at the ranch. We'd been here once before with extended family over New Year's, but that was before Josiah could walk. He enjoyed himself even more this time! He loved tramping along the paths and up the road, veering off to trail-blaze his way to plants, pinecones, and rocks. He barked at the three doggies and "petted" them when he got ahold of them. He smelled flowers, swung in a hammock (the most relaxed I've seen him other than when he's sleeping!), played with the other kids, and slept well in the car-ride home!

 Here he is with the calf statue--I told him it was a cow and he'd go up to it and say, "MmmMMMM!" (his version of "moo").

Josiah loves doggies SO much. Here he is with Ranger--who puts up with a lot!

Little Buddy was a big fan of the hammock! 

 

More doggies! And this time, Josiah could chase them around.

Josiah's friend Paxton came along. Here he is with his mom and dad.

Smelling flowers--beautiful irises!

Josiah picked some flowers for Mama.

 

Mama's happy boy!